TEHRAN (FNA)- Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri scoffed at the US officials’ war rhetoric against Tehran, and underlined that the interests of the US and the Zionist regime are within the reach of Iran’s weapons and military equipment.

“The Iranian nation considers as jokes the remarks by the US President (Barack Obama) and Defense Secretary (Chuck Hagel) that the military option (against Iran) is on the table,” Jazayeri said on the sidelines of a meeting with the Armed Forces’ cultural and media directors in Tehran on Sunday.

He stressed the Iranian Armed Forces’ military power and defensive capabilities, and said, “At present, many of the US and Zionists’ interests are within the reach of Iran’s military power, and Tehran has made its decision long ago to confront the aggressors.”

Jazayeri also underscored that Iran’s diplomatic decisions will never be influenced by the US threats.

In November, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei warned Iran’s enemies to avoid even thinking of any aggressive move against the country, stressing that the Iranian Armed Forces are ready to give such a crushing response to any threat that aggressors will never forget.

Addressing 50,000 Basij (volunteer force) commanders in Tehran, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the preparedness of Iran’s military forces, and said, “The response of the Iranian nation to any foreign aggression will be regrettable for the enemy.”

The Supreme Leader underlined that the increasing threats by the enemy show that the US-led western sanctions have not been effective and they have understood it themselves.

Addressing the arrogant powers, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “Instead of threatening other countries, go and deal with your wretched economic conditions and think of you debts.”

The Supreme Leader underlined that the Zionist regime has been imposed on the region, "Anything that is gained with force will not last long and this regime will not last either."

Also earlier this month, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari underlined that Iran will give a crushing response to any possible aggressor.

Major General Jafari deplored the US president’s repeated rhetoric of “military option against Iran is on the table, as “ludicrous” and said, “Repetition of such an absurd sentence by the officials of the US and the fake and evil Zionist regime (of Israel) sounds funny to the Iranian nation.”

The IRGC commander went on to say that the US or Israeli officials are totally incapable of taking any military action against Iran, but at the same time affirmed that any “stupid measure” by the enemies would compel Iran to consider the options it has on the table.

“Lots of options are on the table for Iran, and they (enemies) will receive crushing responses, one of which would be elimination of the Zionist regime,” he warned.

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